Smith, Sir Thomas.
The Common-Wealth of England, And the Maner - Smith, Sir Thomas - 1612. [1216595]1612. "The Most Important Description of the Constitution and Government Of England Written During the Tudor Age" Smith, Sir Thomas [1513-1577]. The Common-Wealth of England, And the Maner of Governement Thereof. Compiled by the Honourable Sir Thomas Smith, Knight, Doctor of Both Lawes, And One of the Principall Secretaries Unto Two Most Worthy Princes, King Edward, And Queene Elizabeth. With New Additions of the Chiefe Courts in England, And the Offices Thereof by the Said Author. Also a Table Added Thereto, Of All the Principall Matters Contained in this Treatise. London: Printed by William Stansby, 1612. [viii], 134 pp. Lacking first leaf, a blank. Quarto (7-1/2" x 5-1/2"). Recent period-style paneled calf, gilt titles, raised bands and blind ornaments to spine, blind inside dentelles, all edges gilt. Light rubbing to extremities, a few minor nicks to boards. Woodcut device to title page, woodcut head-pieces, tail-pieces and decorated initials. Light toning to text, minor edgewear and offsetting to preliminaries and final leaves of text. Ex-library. Faint embossed stamp to title page and following leaf, cancelled stamp to verso of title page with some bleed-through. A handsome copy. * Later edition. De Republica Anglorum; the Manner of Government or Policie of the Realme of England was written between 1562 and 1565 and first published in 1583. "It is the most important description of the constitution and government of England written in the Tudor age" (DNB). It went through eleven editions in English between 1584 to 1691. Four Latin editions appeared between 1610 and 1641. Abridged editions in Dutch and German were published in 1673 and 1688. Smith, an English scholar and diplomat, was Regius Professor of Civil Law at Cambridge University. Dictionary of National Biography XVIII:535. English Short-Title Catalogue S117648.
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